Apple tree named ‘Milwa’

ABSTRACT

A new apple tree named ‘Milwa’ is disclosed. The fruit of the new variety is particularly notable for its eating quality and distinctive appearance. The fruit is firm, crunchy, juicy and fully flavored, and takes on a distinctive luminous red coloration as it ripens on the tree. ‘Milwa’ apples maintain favorable texture and firmness during and after long term storage.

Latin name: Malus pumila Mill.

Variety denomination: ‘Milwa’.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY

‘Milwa’ is a new and distinct cultivar of apple tree Malus pumila Mill. This new cultivar is a product of a controlled breeding program carried out by the inventor at the Federal Research Station Agroscope Changins-Wädenswil at Wädenswil, Switzerland. ‘Milwa’ was one of several seedlings resulting from a cross made in 1982 of female parent XII A 277 (‘Idared’×‘Maigold’) (not patented) and male parent ‘Elstar’ (not patented). A single tree of ‘Milwa’ on ‘M27’ rootstock was planted at Wädenswil, Switzerland in 1985, and was asexually propagated for further testing in 1988. ‘Milwa’ has been observed to remain true to type over successive asexually propagated generations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

‘Milwa’ was selected for its suitability as a commercial apple tree variety. Fruit of ‘Milwa’ is notable for its globose shape and luminous red color. The characteristics that distinguish ‘Milwa’ from its parent and from other related varieties are set forth in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Comparison of ‘Milwa’ to Parents and Other Known Varieties (measurements given approximate) Tree Variety Fruit Shape Skin Color Vigour Harvest Date Milwa Globose Orange red 34A Weak to 1 week before conical to red purple 59A medium Golden Delicious Elstar globose Orange red 34C vigorous 2 weeks before Golden Delicious Idared Broad Red 54A medium 1 week after globose Golden Delicious

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

FIG. 1 shows the fruit and leaves of ‘Milwa’.

FIG. 2 shows longitudinal and transverse cross sections of ‘Milwa’ after storage.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following detailed botanical description is based on observations made during the 2006 growing season at Wädenswil, Switzerland, of two year old trees grown an M9 rootstock in high density plantings. All colors are described according to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart. It should be understood that the characteristics described will vary somewhat depending upon cultural practices and climatic conditions, and will vary with location and season. Quantified measurements are expressed as an average of measurements taken from a number of individual plants of the new variety. The measurements of any individual plant, or any group of plants, of the new variety may vary from the stated average.

-   Tree: Vigor — weak to medium (weaker than ‘Golden Delicious’); Type     — ramified; Habit — spreading; Height — medium high (2.30 m); Trunk     diameter (at 30 cm above the graft union) — medium (31 mm); Bark     texture — smooth to medium; Bark coloration — grey 201B; Lenticels —     medium, oval, light yellow brown 158D. -   Branch (fruiting branches located at around 1 m above the graft     union): Length — long (avg. 62 cm); Diameter — medium-large (avg.     14.7 mm); Crotch angle — 70° to 90° (avg. 80°); Bark color — brown     200C; Lenticels — medium, oval, light yellow brown 158D. -   One year old shoot: Length — short to medium (avg. 22 cm); Color —     brown N200B; Pubescence (on upper half of the shoot) — medium     strong; Thickness — medium (avg. 50 mm); Internode length — medium     (avg. 14 mm); Pubescence — medium-strong; Number of lenticels — very     few (3 lenticels per cm²). -   Pollination: Diploid; Good pollinators include ‘Braeburn,’ ‘Golden     Delicious,’ ‘Iduna,’ ‘Pinova,’ and ‘Fuji’; No incompatibility with     common pollinators has been observed. -   Flower buds: Quantity per spur — 2 to 3; Shape — conical; Length —     medium (avg. 10 mm); Diameter — medium (avg. 10 mm); Color — Red     purple 61A. -   Flowers: Color (flower buds) — Red Purple 60A; Diameter of open     flower — very large; Relative position of petal margin —     overlapping; Number per cluster — 5 to 7; Date of first bloom —     April 8 in Loire Valley, France (4 days prior to Gala); Date of full     bloom — April 11 in Loire Valley, France (4 days prior to Gala). -   Petals: Number per flower — 5; Shape — oval; Length — long (avg. 22     mm); Width — wide (avg. 15 mm); Apex — round; Base — pointed; Margin     — smooth to medium; Coloration of upper surface — purple 76A;     Coloration of lower surface — purple 77D. -   Pistils: Size — long (12 mm); Color — yellow green 145D. -   Anthers: Quantity — numerous (avg. 18 per flower); Size — medium     (avg. 2 mm); Presence of pollen — present; Color of pollen — yellow     4C. -   Stigma: Size — small-medium (avg. 0.5 mm); Color — pale yellow 9C. -   Style: Size — medium-long (avg. 9 mm); Color — yellow green N144D. -   Ovary: Size — medium (avg. 1.8 mm); Color-green 134B. -   Pedicel: Length — medium (avg. 18 mm); Diameter — thin (avg. 1.2     mm); Color — green 143C. -   Sepals: Quantity — 5; Coloration — green 143C; Shape — conical     pointed. -   Leaves: Shape — oblanceolate; Length (petiole not included) —     medium-long (avg. 89 mm); Width — narrow-medium (avg. 57 mm);     Length/width ratio — medium (1.56); Blade margin — crenate; Apex —     acuminate; Base shape — oblique; Color of upper surface — green 143A     (in early summer); Color of lower surface — green 143C (in early     summer); Attitude in relation to shoot — outward. -   Petiole: Length — medium (avg. 25 mm); Diameter — medium-thick (avg.     1.4 mm); Coloration — yellow green 145B. -   Fruit: Quantity per cluster — 2 to 4; Size — medium (avg. 77 mm);     Weight — medium (avg. 200 g); Ratio of height to width —     small-medium (0.9); General shape in profile — broad globose to     conical/globose to conical; Position of maximum diameter — in     middle; Ribbing — absent or very weak; Crowning at calyx end — weak;     Size of eye — medium (avg. 9.3 mm); Aperture of eye — fully open;     Length of sepal — medium (avg. 5.9 mm); Bloom of skin — absent or     very weak; Greasiness of skin — absent or very weak; Background     color of skin — yellow 11A; Amount of over color — high; Over color     of skin — orange red 34A to red purple 59A: Intensity of over color     — medium-dark; Pattern of over color — solid flush with stripes;     Lenticels — small, round, white N155D; Amount of russet around stalk     cavity —high; Amount of russett on cheeks — absent or very weak;     Area of russet around eye basin — absent or very weak; Length of     stalk — medium (avg. 18 mm); Thickness of stalk — medium (avg. 2.3     mm); Depth of stalk cavity — medium (avg. 16.5 mm); Width of stalk     cavity — medium (avg. 34.5 mm); Depth of eye basin — medium (avg.     7.3 mm); Width of eye basin — medium (avg. 29 mm); Firmness of flesh     (measurement with penetrometer) — firm (avg. 7.2); Flesh texture —     firm and crunchy; Aroma — aromatic and slightly acidic; Juiciness —     medium to high; Brix — 13° brix minimum at harvest time; Flesh     coloration — yellow 4C; Stem coloration — yellow green 144B to green     brown 199C. -   Seeds: Quantity per fruit — 4 on average; Shape — truncate ovoid;     Coloration — greyed purple N186C. -   Harvest: Time for harvest — medium, second week of September (one     week before ‘Golden Delicious’); Harvest window — 3 weeks; Number of     picks — one to two picks; Amount of fruit produced per tree per     harvest — 60 fruits on sixth leaf trees. -   Disease resistance: Relatively susceptible to mildew; Average     susceptibility to scab; Susceptibility to fire blight is similar to     ‘Gala.’ 

1. A new and distinct apple tree substantially as described and illustrated herein. 